chapter02 · 031-ep31

Episode 31: "The Strongest Classroom"

A reply takes longer once you've decided to write one.

I opened the envelope at my desk that morning and spent an hour facing a sheet of paper. I wrote something, crumpled it up, and did that three times. In the end, I was left with three lines.

"I accept. On one condition: every preparation and plan for the operation will be made public on the stream."

"I'm a commander who's no good at keeping secrets. If that suits you, put me to work."

"Hiiragi Shinichi"

I don't know if that's how you write to the state. At least all three lines are honest.

With six days left before the deadline, the envelope left my desk.

Then, on this morning's stream, I reported it to the five of them—including the fifth who'd come home last night. Starting today, it was a strategy meeting. We were going to clear the Abyss. When I said that, I think the world made enough noise to last me a lifetime.

"Hiiragi Shinichi Accepts Appointment as Chief Operation Commander for the Abyss"

"Condition: 'Full Disclosure of the Entire Process.' Agency Grants Unprecedented Approval"

"Humanity's First 'Public Clearing Operation'—The Day the Whole World Becomes a Classroom"

I looked at three headlines and turned my terminal face down. Washed rice. I didn't mess it up once this morning. Once you've made up your mind, apparently even the rice comes out right.

Two messages from Hina-chan.

"Sensei! They say the predicted concurrent viewership tonight is 'unmeasurable'! I've beefed up the connection!"

"Also, Rei-san and the others want to 'get the classroom ready.' Can I give them a spare key?"

What were humanity's five strongest going to prepare in a six-mat room in broad daylight?

...I stopped thinking about it and replied, "Please do."

◇

Five minutes before eight that evening.

The six-mat room had reached its limit.

Around a "long table" made by pushing two low tables together sat humanity's strongest swordsman, strongest mage, hardest shield, most efficient shadow, the Saint with the greatest healing range—and a rookie B-rank who used to be a washout. All sitting seiza, very politely. In terms of fighting strength per tatami mat, this was the densest room in human history.

"Pops, we're short on cushions."

"That's because you're using two, Maru-kun. ...The Agency offered us a venue, you know."

"You turned them down, didn't you, Sensei?" Kokoro-chan smiled. She looked so much happier than she had last night.

"Yeah. This is the classroom."

It was time. I started the stream.

The viewer count gave up on letting me count its digits the moment it appeared.

"Good evening, this is Shin. Starting today, this course will also be our strategy meeting for clearing the Abyss. Preparations, plans, failures—we'll share them all here. I don't want to bring secrets into a place humanity has never entered before."

【He's here】

【World history, live】

【The venue's a six-mat room lol】

【I will never get used to seeing the five strongest sitting seiza】

I paused, then said what I always did.

"Now, then. Today, let's talk about the basics."

【The basics lolol】

【The basics, in front of humanity's last line of defense】

【He never changes】

【Wait. This guy's 'basics' have already rewritten common sense three times】

Only Rei nodded as though this were obvious.

◇

"People tend to think a team is where you add everyone's strengths together—but it isn't."

I opened my notebook. Time to report eight years of observations.

"It's where you weave their weaknesses together. Strengths do their jobs without being told. What makes or breaks a team is where you put its weaknesses. So today, in front of them and the entire world, I'm going to talk about all five of these people's weaknesses."

【He's revealing S-ranks' weaknesses to the whole world!?】

【What if somebody turns against them?】

【↑ That's what he means by 'no secrets from humanity'】

"First, Rei-kun."

"Yes."

"Your strength is your initial speed. But you're too fast even in how you experience time. Your 'now' is half a second ahead of the person beside you. When you're alone, that habit makes you invincible. In a team, it leaves everyone behind."

"...Yes."

"So use Maru-kun's shield as your clock. Wherever that shield is planted—that's noon on the battlefield. Your speed only becomes a weapon when it has a reference point. —Maru-kun."

"Yeah."

"Your hardness only comes out when you know what you're protecting. When the thing you're meant to defend is vague, you're just a big man."

"Guh... Can't argue with that."

"Mio-san's blueprint will decide the order you protect them in. You don't have to think. You're hardest when you aren't thinking."

"Pops, is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"The highest praise. —Mio-san. Your blueprint handles exceptions well. But you have a habit of including only what you've seen with your own eyes in your calculations. A blueprint missing its assumptions is only a pretty drawing."

"Additional note. I'm aware. Countermeasure?"

"Connect Yagarasu-kun's reconnaissance directly to your eyes. —Yagarasu-kun. When it comes to reading danger, you're much faster than I am. But you hold on to information. Your reports are accurate, but they're late. It's a habit you learned so you wouldn't die alone. On a team, those three seconds can get somebody killed."

"...You don't go easy on us, do you, Sensei."

"So send your reports to Hina-chan raw. She'll translate them into words everyone understands and pass them on. Forget making the reports sound polished. Get those three seconds back."

"Got it."

Then I looked at the last one.

"Kokoro-chan."

"Y-yes."

"Your healing range has the largest radius in human history. But you have a habit of leaving yourself out of the center of that circle."

The six-mat room grew a little quieter.

"The caster should stand at the center of an area spell. It's straight out of a textbook. So from now on, the team decides where you stand. We won't leave your position—to your reluctance to put yourself first."

Kokoro-chan pressed her lips together once, then raised her head properly and answered.

"Yes, Sensei."

【That silence... everyone understood, and everyone was kind】

【Why do I feel like crying when he's pointing out a weakness?】

"Lastly, Hina-chan. You've spent more time hearing my words than anyone else in this classroom. So you're our standard. If the five of you get lost, look at Hina-chan's fundamentals and measure how far you've strayed."

"Y... yes!!"

【A former E-rank is the standard for the five strongest】

【She failed four promotion exams in a row until just recently】

【That appointment alone is enough to make me cry】

◇

"That's it for the individual reports. Now for the real point."

I turned a page in my notebook.

"Link the weaknesses I just named in that order—and you get a circle. Maru-kun measures Rei-kun's time. Mio-san draws the order Maru-kun protects people in. Yagarasu-kun supplies the missing information for Mio-san's blueprint. Hina-chan translates Yagarasu-kun's three seconds. Kokoro-chan tends to everyone's exhaustion. And Rei-kun's sword guards Kokoro-chan's position. ...One full circuit. No blind spot left that any one person has to cover alone."

No one said a word.

Only the comment section screamed.

【The goosebumps won't go away】

【The strongest individuals are being woven into one living thing】

【We get to watch this for free?】

【I'm starting to feel a little sorry for the Abyss】

Mio-san raised her hand slightly.

"Additional note. Written in the Association's standard format, that team-formation theory would take an estimated 140 pages. Sensei explained it aloud in eleven minutes. ...That is all."

Was that really an additional note?

Finally, I wrote three lines on a sheet of paper and held it up to the camera.

"Objective: everyone goes in, and everyone comes home."

"Retreat criterion: the moment even one person can no longer put their 'next step' into words."

"After return: observation report meeting (everyone's reports)."

"Whatever's hidden in the Abyss, nothing takes priority over those three lines. —That's all for today's lesson."

◇

Once the stream was off, the six-mat room was as noisy as its collection of teacups.

Rei-san confiscated the third cushion Maru-san tried to claim. Mio-san had already begun adding notes to the margins of her notebook. Sensei was in the kitchen making fresh tea for six people.

As if waiting for the sound of running water to cover his voice, Yagarasu-san rocked his teacup and muttered,

"...Hey. You lot realize something?"

"What?"

"We've taken more of Sensei's 'lessons' than we can count. But—this is actually the first time any of us will follow Sensei's 'command' in a real fight."

Rei-san's hand stopped. Maru-san stopped laughing. Mio-san's pen stopped.

For the first time, humanity's five strongest all fell silent with the same look on their faces.

In the kitchen, Sensei was cheerfully rattling the kettle.